Airtel’s Mittal first Indian to be conferred honorary knighthood by King Charles

Bharati Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Mittal (66 Years) became the first Indian citizen to receive Honorary Knighthood, the Knight Commander of the most excellent order of the British Empire (KBE), by King Charles III for his role in advancing India-UK business relations.

“I am deeply humbled by this recognition from His Majesty, King Charles, UK and India have historical relations, which are now entering a new era of increased collaboration. I remain committed to working towards strengthening the economic and bilateral trade relationships between our two great nations, “Mittal said in a statement.

“I am thankful to the government of the UK, whose support and keen attention to the needs of business has been critical in making the country an attractive investment destination,” he added.

The KBE is an honor bestowed on civilians by the British sovereign. It is granted in an honorary capacity to foreign nationals who have made significant contributions across various sectors.

Mittal shares a strong bond with the UK. His Bharati Airtel Africa was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2019 and is part of the FTSE100 index. He is credited with successfully reviving OneWeb and now Eutelsat in collaboration with the UK Government and other strategic investors. OneWeb provides low-latency, high-speed, and reliable internet access through low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. He was also pivotal in offering satellite broadband services globally. Telecom tycoon Mittal was honored with Padma Bhushan in 2007, India’s third-highest civilian honor.

Other Indian recipients to receive Honorary KBE include Ratan Tata (2009), Ravi Shankar (2001), and Jamshed Irani (1997). Tata, Shankar, and Irani were conferred this honor by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The investiture ceremony for Sunil Bharati Mittal’s Honorary KBE will be conducted by the British High Commissioner to India at a later date.